The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-01-21
REBVkING GRAND JURY.
Singing words from fhe Bench on Ac
count Of Their Failure TO fnaicf
booksellers and RUmseiIcrs.

When the January term of the Passaic
county, \. j., Courts opened in the first
week of this month, at Paterson, Judge
Dixon called the attention of the Grand
Jury to the case of George Engemann and
others, under bail on complaints of pool
selling at the Clifton race track, the tech
nical charge being tor keeping disorderly
house. and to the open and notorious sale
OF liquor on Sunday in Paterson. Sheriff
Mckee before his election was liquor
seller but the hotel formerly kept by him
is now in the name of his brother in law.
Judge Dixon was on the bench on Fri
day and the Grand Jury care into Court
with batcn of indictments and present
ment The latter document was directed
against several abuses, the bad condition
Of the city lookup, the inadequate Court
House accommodations. and the fee system,
which induces Justices of the Peace to
entertain all sorts of frivolous complaints
The presentment was ordered to be publish
ed. Judge Dixon then asked if the Grand
Jury had finished their labors. The fore
man answered affirmatiyey. Judge Dixon
after looking through the batch Of indict-
ments, addressed the Grand Jury as fol-
lows
Il find here no indictments for pool-sel-
| ling at horses races or for violation of the
Sunday liquor law. | am exceedingly sorry
| for this, but not very much surprised. My
sense of duty indicates that ought to tell
you why am not astunished believe
there was enough evidence before you to
convince you that there has been pool-se-
| ling at Clifton. 1t was public matter
! In the relation to the sale Of liquor on
Sunday you obtained evidence. And yet
there are no bills. Since the iirst day you
were summoned numerous persons have
told me that you were bot likely to find
/ any bill for these matters. This came to
me not from one or two persons. but from
many sources There are two charges i'm
! piled by such a state of affairs. One is in
1 relation to the Sheriff of this county. 1t
! is said that lac knew what kind Of ofienses
| were to be brodght before the Grand Jury
/ and il is claimed that he summoned a jury
/ who lie knew would not find any bills, no
matter What the facts may be. If this is
! true, What can be said fifty to characterize
/ such action? The other charge is that you
/ took your solemn oath diligently to inquire
| into and true prescntmenls make of all
matters brought to your notice. 4Ol know
!
| your oath is on record here: and now YOU
come into Cont aud swear that yon have
diligently inquired into he matters PLACED
in your charge, aud have true prcsentnent
made, and that you find no cause for any
indictments. Now gentleman Of the Jury
with the utmost seriousness aud all the
weight my position gives to my words, did
you observe your oatll' If you want to
get out Of keeping il, if you want to revoke
it, there is a way to do it. If any one of
you does not want to inquire into pooi-sel-
ling or Sunday liquor selling, let him step
| forward and say SO, and the Court will ex-
cuse him.
This scene was without precedent in
the country. Judge Dixon once rebuked a
grand Jury in the same Court for not find
ing indictments for bribery at elections,
but that was administered in a private
room.